Call for establishing ‘relief fund’ for regular Yarsha pickers

A demand has been made for establishing ‘Yarsha Pickers Relief Fund’ for the people in Karnali following a ban in Yarsha picking owing to the COVID-19 crisis. Yarshagumba (Cordyceps Sinensis), a lucrative herb with medicinal importance, is one of the major sources of income for the people in Dolpa, Jumla, Humla, Mugu and Rukum West, the districts in the Karnali State, and its collection has been restricted this year with the nationwide lockdown to control the spread of coronavirus.

Lawmakers from the State have called on the governments of all three levels to address the demand.

People mainly of above-mentioned districts largely depend on the Yarsha collections for the fulfillment of basic needs ranging from food to children’s education and health facilities throughout a year. The restriction in the harvesting is sure to push them towards a financial crisis, according to Karnali State Assembly member Bir Bahadur Shahi.

Another State Assembly member Badami Kwari Bohara said people mainly of Dolpa, Jumla, Humla, Mugu and Rukum East had been affected mostly by the restriction in Yarsha collection, underlining the need of setting up the fund to prevent them from facing hunger and crisis. “The upcoming budget should address the issue.”

Yarsha is available in the high altitudes of these districts including Dolpa.